Every June, the residents of La Orotava spend weeks creating monumental artworks in the city's streets, entirely made by hand with flower petals, volcanic sands, and natural earth from the island.
The main carpet, on the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, can exceed 900 m² and depicts religious scenes or Canarian motifs with millimeter precision. Dozens of craftspeople and volunteers work through the night before the procession to have everything ready by sunrise.
What makes La Orotava unique
While other towns in Tenerife (La Laguna, Tacoronte) also organize decorations for Corpus Christi, La Orotava is undisputedly the capital of this tradition since 1846. Its location on the northern slope of Teide offers it varied flowers and volcanic earth in remarkable natural colors: red, ochre, gray, black, which serve as "paint" for the carpets.
The town itself is a setting: its colonial houses with sculpted wooden balconies from the 17th century, its paved streets and terraced gardens form a unique frame for this tradition.
The evening before: Teams start work around 10 p.m. Dozens of people on their knees, placing petal by petal—the scene is worth the trip on its own.
The morning of Corpus (around 8 a.m.–9 a.m.): The carpets are finished. This is the ideal moment to photograph them, before the crowd and procession erase them. Arrive before 9 a.m. for the best angles.
The procession (around 11 a.m.): The religious cortege passes over the carpets, symbolically "destroying" them. This ephemeral moment is at the heart of the tradition. It's precisely because they disappear that these carpets move us.
The afternoon: Residents clean the streets together. Village festival atmosphere, local markets, Canarian gastronomy in downtown restaurants.
In 2026, the official celebration falls on Thursday, June 4. The Día de las Alfombras in La Orotava is set for Thursday, June 11 (festivities from June 11–14). Access is free and open to all carpets. To get there, TITSA buses from Puerto de la Cruz or Santa Cruz; plan for parking on the outskirts, the city is closed to traffic from midnight. Plan for the whole day. Arrive before 9 a.m. for the best shots without crowds.